Freshman guard Jared Drew to transfer from Saint Louis

by joelcollins2

Jared Drew (Photo credit: bleacherreport.com)

Jared Drew sat out last season as a redshirt for the Saint Louis basketball squad. However, instead of returning for his first year of eligibility, Drew was informed by his head Coach Jim Crews that his scholarship would not be renewed for the 2013-14 season. He was told this just days before the semester ended.

Kyle Neddenriep of the Indianapolis Star reported that Drew would not be allowed to return for his Freshman year.

“I was completely blindsided,” Drew said. “I don’t believe they handled that situation as well as they could have. [Crews] basically told me I’m not the right fit for what he’s trying to do. I’m moving on, though.”

Although situations like this happen quite frequently, this one is a real bummer for Jared and for Saint Louis’ fans. Drew was an all-state selection at Cathedral High School both his junior and senior year. He will no doubt be a steal for a smaller school. Ball State, IPFW, IUPUI, and Florida Atlantic have been mentioned by Drew in the Indianapolis Star.

This does not speak wonders about Coach Jim Crews’ ability to transform an athletic talent into a college basketball player. When a coach redshirts a player, it is usually because he sees potential in that player going forward. Since Jared Drew was recruited by Saint Louis, you would think that they would have seen potential in him and been able to bring his talent to the surface. I am extremely disappointed in Coach Crews for not holding on to this young athlete.